Mrs Funnybones by Twinkle Khanna | Book Review

Updated on July 3, 2019 - This post may contain affiliate links which means I make a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. See the disclosure policy for more information.

Hiya folks, I am back with a book review, and this time it’s my review of Mrs Funnybones by Twinkle Khanna.

But before I begin, I must admit to 2 things –

1. I like Twinkle Khanna – nope, not necessarily in a star child/ Page 3 celebrity way, or even as an actress (that clearly wasn’t her strong suit). But I do like her in her columnist avatar; that is my most favorite version of her. I say most favorite version, because she is/has been many things – star-child turned actress turned candle maker turned columnist turned author. Phew!

2. I have a hard time thinking of this as a book – to me, it’s a collection of articles or blog posts or journal entries…maybe. Anything, but not a book. This is not necessarily a good or a bad thing; just my perception of it. Having said that, for the lack of a better description, I’ll stick with ‘book’ for now.

Mrs Funnybones – the book, is narrated by Mrs Funnybones – Twinkle Khanna’s alter-ego (or so she says). I read this book in one-sitting – a feat I haven’t performed in the past few years – not because it is an unputdownable, flawless, literary gem, but only because it is a super fast, quick read.

It reads like several journal entries, and is mostly a narration of scattered, unimportant things that happen in her life, which are not exactly interesting, but her ready wit ensures that they are not boring either.

I must also mention that this book is not a showcase of the glittering life of a superstar’s wife, if that’s what you are expecting. On the contrary, it is an insider look into the quirky, yet completely normal life of Twinkle Khanna – the mother, wife, daughter and entrepreneur.

Big Expectations..

To be honest, I had big expectations from this book. Mostly because, I have read several of her articles, and have really enjoyed them. She is sassy, sarcastic, and has a great sense of humor, which reflects in her writing.

Then came the title, and cover release, and I loved them too. Even after reading the book, I feel that the title and the cover work very well. They stand out, and also convey the mood of the book.

A (little) Disappointing Reality

Having said what I have said, this book did not quite meet my expectations. Admittedly, the expectations were pretty big to begin with, but it’s not just that.

The book is in the genre of humor, and while some segments were genuinely funny, there were also bits where the jokes were cliched, and seemed forced; almost as if the book was trying too hard to be something it’s not.

I was really disappointed by this, because as I read it, I was constantly thinking – ‘You don’t need to resort to this! You are better than this! You are genuinely funny; don’t put up an act – Be You!’

And I mean it – I know that she is better than this! She is way more funnier and wittier on her social media!

Also, some chapter headings ( ‘Can Indian men control anything except their wives?’ & ‘Karan Johar celebrates Karvachauth!’) made no sense to me. They stood out, all right, but once I read the chapter, I felt as if they were there just for impact (which okay, works, but only till you actually read the chapter).

And finally, there was a (small) section of her writing that did not sit well with me at all – it felt a teeny tiny bit elitist. However, this could just be me, as I am overly sensitive to this.

Redemption!

From my extended rant, you may think that I really disliked the book, but it is not so; there was much to love too.

But I think above all else, the one thing that stood out to me about this book is how much I could relate to her. I mean, this is Twinkle Khanna – she is born to two very famous film stars, and married to an equally famous one; not someone you would normally think you can identify or empathize with, and yet she pulls it off.

There were some parts where she was being her whimsical self, and wasn’t trying to be funny, and those were some of my favorite parts.

There were also some segments that were very contemplative; and they truly struck a chord with me.

Overall:

I would definitely recommend this book. It is a light-hearted, fun read. And sometimes we all need a book which helps us to de-stress, and puts a smile on our faces, right? Because that is exactly what this book did for me.

That being said, here are some lines/ thoughts from this book that I loved so much, I had to share! Some are funny, some thoughtful..

On Men..

Our little satellite reached Mars because it was called MOM. If it was called DAD, it would still be circling the Earth, lost, but not willing to ask for directions.

On Love..

As my eyes are shutting, I think about the word ‘love’. It is multilayered, convoluted, and as imperfect as all human emotions. It is not your heart beating fast when you look at him […] or constantly wanting to be with the other person. Love in any relationship, family, or an intimate friendship, is only about putting the other person’s needs ahead of your own, and that, my friend, is just as simple and as complex as you make it.

On her experience in a foreign country..

Looking at these old people shuffling along by themselves, all I can say is: We may have potholed roads, but at-least we have many people willing to travel with us on them.

Reader Interactions

Comments

I have gifted this one to many many friends and yet haven’t read it in its entirety. I love the fact that you found it identifiable – that in my mind would be one reason to go buy it. Loved your review, as usual Shantala.

Was eagerly waiting for this review. I am a little disappointed that the book didnt turn out to be as witty as u expected. Nonetheless, i will still pick it up as soon as i get my hands on it. Great review shantala!!!Nidhi recently posted…Versatile Nalla Karam Podi

So, here’s a little back story to when the book was released. I think I went on a gifting spree and sent about 10 copies to various friends. Someone had sent it to me as a gift, and I guess I just returned the favour to many others. I enjoyed the book – yes there are cliches and some parts were more ‘ha’ funny than ‘haha’ ones. I’ve been following her columns and yes, the book is sort of a collection of these columns. Or perhaps ones that didn’t make it to the columns.

The main reason that I liked it immensely was because I’ve read plenty of so called ‘books’ by Indian celebrities and they were all damp squibs; at least hers made me laugh a fair bit and that to me is a win. And yes, as a parent, lot of those things were relatable too. Having said that, it does have its moments where some of the jokes fall flat.

Good review, as usual, Shantala. And the fact that I’m commenting on it should say something – I almost never comment on reviews (or poems :P)Sid recently posted…Of Online & Offline friends

If I remember right, she did say in one of her interviews that it was a compilation of her columns and bites. I wouldn’t want to judge her writing, but I LOVE her because she’s LIVING each phase of her life the way she loves it at that point in time. Salutes n respects!Nisha Sanjeev recently posted…Sexism at Toastmasters

I was merely stating the pros and cons of the book, and I guess there is some objective judgement there, because without it, there can be no review. Having said that, I like her columns, and just her persona – in general, too. 🙂Shanaya Tales recently posted…Valentineâs Day for Toddlers! – Why does this exist?!

Very extensive review, Shantala. I enjoyed the book.because I liked her columns especially her wit. I related to her chapters some as a wife, others as a mother. Yes, the format is a collection of columns or blog posts which I actually liked. 🙂 Not only is her writing refreshingly good and witty but she manages to make herself relatable to folks universally despite her lineage and the fact that she is married to one of India’s biggest superstars. I do agree with some jokes falling flat. I guess that happens with humor writing. Some hit the mark and others don’t. Overall the boom left me smiling and that felt good. 🙂Rachna recently posted…The caregiver’s trauma

I have been wanting to pick this book from the day it was released, but one thing or the other has kept me off. I have read many of hr articles and I have been wanting pick this one for the same reason and also because I have read too many positive reviews of the book. Your honest review (that touched on all points I’d love to know about a book) has left me in doubt if I’m going to pick this one soon enough.

Very fair review Shantala. I read the book almost within a month of its release last year. A good entertainer and a fast read….ideal for inflight reading. Like you said, if you didn’t know it was a book written by such a big celebrity, it might have worked better. It was genuinely funny and one could empathize with many of the situations though I was a bit incredulous about some, considering them happening to someone like her!

Hehehe..yeah, an interesting insight into her life. I guess my expectations also kind of played a part in my overall enjoyment; they always do. But I liked it, overall. The parenting segment especially struck a chord with me. 🙂Shanaya Tales recently posted…Valentineâs Day for Toddlers! – Why does this exist?!

Typically, over-hyped books dont really match upto expectations. But, Mrs. Funnybones is different and as you said, I liked reading about her life and her witty take on them. I have been following her column and loved the book as well. But, the book does look like it was printed in a hurry to cash in on the initial interest to her columns with some of the chapters repeated from the columns. Lets hope her next books will be funnier.

I agree with the she can do better part. When she started publishing her columns, I read them out of curiosity. While she would start off well, somewhere towards the end the exuberance would fizzle out.

Nice balanced review of her book. Am sure Twinkle will appreciate the same.

P.S. Looks like making books out of articles and posts has become the latest fad.

I kinda had that feeling about this book that it would have a fuzzy, disorganized sort of layout. I’ve been reading quite a few memoirs lately, and that’s one thing common to all of them (except maybe Bossypants or How To Be A Woman) – the chapters are so very… random! I also like her columns, but I honestly wasn’t looking forward to reading the book. That said, I have read some funny excerpts from it (that MOM one that you’ve mentioned totally cracked me up!)Sreesha recently posted…Would You?

No, haven’t heard of the author or read the book. BUT although it is hard to write funny, I can enjoy the book if it is light reading. I enjoyed a couple of your quotes from the book – the one on love is profound.Alana recently posted…I’ve Come a Long Way, Baby

I loved the quote on love too – simple enough, yet so profound. And yes, writing humour is a difficult task – there is always a risk, but I guess that is also present in any genre that one writes in.Shanaya Tales recently posted…Valentineâs Day for Toddlers! – Why does this exist?!

I haven’t read the book yet and I am not very regular to her columns. Yes, I remember I read one or two and she is witty with a great narration style. I liked your review and it’s honest. Having heard so much about the book, I now want to get my hands on this one.Parul recently posted…A Day in Macau

I enjoyed the book in places, and found it rather dull in others. As far as her columns go, well, the same applies to those, too. She does begin well, but towards the end, as Vishal says, things fizzle out. Some of her columns are rather unexciting. But, I think she can do better. Having said that, I would much rather read her column on a Sunday than …watch her film! Hehe

Glad to read your thoughts on this one. I just bought this a couple of months back and was very curious about it. Sounds like it is a mixed bag – some good things and some not so good things in it.Athira recently posted…5 Books that Define Me (sort of) | BBAW Day 1

I do wish i had read some of her columns earlier so I would not have been so surprised with this coming on me so suddenly. The book kept me smiling, wincing, chuckling and laughing throughout. I have written a detailed review on my blog widercanvass.blogspot.in.

It was fun, wasn’t it? 😀 In my case, I was kinda expecting it, thanks to her columns. Nonetheless, it was an interesting ride. Will definitely check out your review too. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂Shanaya Tales recently posted…October Wrap Up – Books and Movies

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Hi there! I am Shantala, Book-Nerd-In-Chief at Shanaya Tales, this book blog of mine, where I talk about books, my reading life & share new reviews & recommendations every single week, in addition to all the random bookish banter. Read More